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Slippage
Synopsis When graphic designer Rich Hall fails to receive timely news about the outcome of a job interview, he discovers people are starting to forget him. Cast * David Patrick Kelly as Richard Hall * Philip Casnoff as Chris Wood * Kerry Armstrong as Elaine Anderson Hall * Harriet Rogers as Mrs. Hall * David Lipman as Mr. Blake * Ruth Miller as Secretary * Paul Sparer as Narrator Plot Act I Richard Hall is sitting at his desk at work. He is drawing a picture of himself that he sees in a mirror. His boss surprises him by coming up behind him and asking, "Working hard, I see?" He tells his boss that artists have trouble getting focused in the morning. His boss is flipping through the paychecks and cannot find his. He says that he will get it all sorted out with personnel at lunchtime.The boss leaves and tells Hall to keep his eye on the ball because they would not want anyone to think he was slipping. As the boss leaves, Hall talks to one of his fellow artist coworkers concerning a job they both applied for. His fellow coworkers seems surprised and informs Rick that he got the call the previous day. He got a job with a good paycheck, good office, and Rick congratulates his coworker. Richard makes plans to celebrate but his coworker tells him if there is going to be a celebration, it will have to be done right: when Rick gets the call about the job as well. At that moment, Rick's phone begins to ring. His coworker immediately assumes that it is the same company calling to offer Rick a job too. Answering the phone, however, it is simply a misdialed extension. It was meant for the coworker he was talking to. Rick picks up the phone and calls his wife. She answers with, "Hello, my love." Rick tells her that she is lucky it was him that was on the phone and not some other man. She maintains it wouldn't happen because for her, he is the only man. Rick was expecting some mail, and his wife was expecting the call from the job. Both of them are disappointed, however. His wife makes sure to tell him that he should call Commercial Graphics about the job so that they do not forget about him. They hang up their phones. Rick decides to call Commercial Graphics. When the lady in charge of hiring answers the phone, he gives his name as Richard Hall but she doesn't seem to recognize the name. However, she eventually makes the connection that he is the person who they do not have any documents for. He mentions his birth certificate was destroyed, but she is more concerned with college transcripts and a social security card. He mentions he has sent all of those in two months previously, but she does not have them. She looks for his file, but his portfolio has been misplaced. Rick is shocked that something that huge could be misplaced. The lady from Commercial Graphics just tells him that it should turn up and he should be patient and wait a few more days. He thanks her and ends the call. Throughout the first act, Rick keeps looking at himself in a mirror on his desk. He looks down at his work, which is graphics for a thin air vacuum. He sighs, says "Nothing but thin air." Act II Rick's wife is making herself look nice when he comes home from work. He compliments her appearance, as if she were a painting and asks for a kiss. Rick tells her that he feels silly for feeling sorry for himself for having his paycheck and portfolio misplaced, because coming home to her is all that mattered. His wife is surprised about the paycheck and portfolio. Rick mentions it is like a gremlin is trying to rob him of all documentation. Rick's wife tells him to try to forget his lousy day and to relax. She offers to hang his coat up for him and to go fix him a drink, which she leaves to do. Rick looks at his wedding picture, then sees a stack of mail under it. He picks it up and asks Elaine about the mail, since she had earlier told him there was none. She simply says there hadn't been any when he called. Rick sorts through the mail while Elaine sings. In the mail is a newspaper from his hometown. Rick reads it and mentions that they are closing down his high school. Because of this, they had a reunion scheduled for it on April 6. At first Elaine seems excited, until she realizes that April 6th was a day ago. Rick seems concerned and keeps reading the paper. In response to his concern, Elaine tells Rick that he should listen to her and forget all those people. Rick's response is that they forgot him, since he was not invited to the reunion. Elaine is doing her best to take Rick's mind off of his worries about people forgetting him and misplacing his documents. She suggests that they watch his favorite movie It's a Wonderful Life. Rick feels that his hometown of Cross Creek is like the town in the movie and suggests that Elaine should actually visit the town sometime. While looking at the paper, he sees the name Jim Harris. Jim was his former best friend and was in charge of inviting people to the reunion. Rick gets up to call Jim Harris. When he calls, Jim's wife answers. Rick mentions that Jim must talk to her about Rick all the time because Rick taught Jim how to fish for bass. She doesn't appear to have ever heard of him and mentions she will tell Jim that he called. Rick wants to know why Jim didn't send him an invitation. He gives his name multiple times, but Jim's wife does not seem to recognize it. She assures him they sent everyone invitations. She says that Jim never talks to her about fishing since they are both strict vegetarians. As Rick hangs up the phone, he notices an envelope in the trash and picks it out. He asks Elaine why all the mail was thrown out. Several pieces of the mail has her maiden name of Elaine Anderson on it. She says it was junk, but one of the pieces of the mail is a car registration in only her maiden name. Rick wonders why this is, because it was supposed to be registered in their joint names. After checking in Elaine's purse, Rick gets irritated. He wonders why Elaine is getting rid of his mail. She insists that she hasn't and that there has to be a simple explanation. Rick begins to hurl accusations at Elaine. Since Chris, his coworker, was hired by Commercial Graphics, he accuses Elaine and Chris of conspiring against him. Though Elaine assures him that she loves him, he threatens her and Chris to stop messing with his head. Rick walks up to his mom's house and knocks on the door. His mom does not recognize him and will not let him in. Although he looks familiar to her, she insists that she would recognize her own son if she had one. After some more back and forth with his mom about this, Rick realizes something more severe is happening. He apologizes to his mother and leaves. Act III Back at Rick's house, Chris and Elaine are looking through Rick's yearbook. A student named Barbara Jean had signed the yearbook. Chris suggests they try to locate her, but Elaine is convinced Barbara Jean's memory could not be better than anyone else in Rick's "dumpy little town." Elaine is frustrated, but feels that if even Rick's mom can not remember him, why would anyone else. Chris assumes that she had lived alone for so long she might be senile. Either that or she might resent Elaine for completely stealing her son away from her. As it turns out, Rick has been missing for three days. Elaine is concerned about him calling. She assumes that he is not thinking about them and beginning to think they would all have been happier if Rick was never born, though she regrets that right after she says it. Some intimacy seems to be developing between Elaine and Chris. She tells him she is thankful for his friendship, even before she ever met Rick. Though it seems he feels this too, he backs off when the phone begins to ring. Rick is on the phone and he and Chris argue. After Elaine gets up, Rick's entry in the yearbook fades away. Chris tells Elaine he was talking to Rick and that he is going to go pick him up. Rick is at his office drawing. When Chris shows up, he thanks Chris for coming alone. Chris says it was not easy to convince Elaine not to come. Chris is angry at Rick for not calling. Rick tries to explain what is going on. He at first thought Chris and Elaine were in on a scheme to get rid of him. However, when his mom did not recognize him, he knew it was something bigger. Rick says that he has no future, as evidenced in Commercial Graphics not hiring him. He is losing his past because no one remembers him. Without a future and a past, Rick is unable to have a present. Chris thinks this is all a mental issue and insists that they can find Rick help, but Rick cannot be convinced. He points to the mirror on his desk, which does not show a reflection. Chris looks at the mirror as Rick, who begins to refer to himself in the third person, explains that we see ourselves as we reflect. We all have a need to connect, but that he cared less and less about it. As he explains how the lack of connections has affected him, Rick slowly begins to "slip" through the cracks of time and his reflection became one dimensional. His explanation becomes muffled as he fades away. Chris gets irritated and breaks the mirror. Chris appears at Rick's house, looking for Elaine. She comes out in a blue dress, twirling around. Rick seems confused as he explains he was unable to bring Rick back. When Elaine wonders which "Rick" he might be referring to, Chris admits that he isn't sure. As they drop the subject and kiss each other, something invisibly and closes the front door. Trivia * The reference to "It's a Wonderful Life" is no accident. In it, the main character of George Bailey sees what life would have been like if he had never existed and the impact he had on the world. Category:Season 1 Category:Episodes Category:1984 Category:Written by Michael Kube-McDowell